The rise of the superphone
Move over smartphones, this is the year of the superphone. So says Omar Khan, the chief strategy officer of Samsung, the Korean electronics giant.
The first company Mr Khan said he can recall using the term was Google, back in January when it launched its own handset the Nexus One.
At the time, Google's president of Android project management Mario Queiroz said "The Nexus One is where web meets phone. It's an exemplar of what's possible on mobile phones. It belongs in an emerging category of devices which we call superphones."
In a keynote speech at VentureBeat's Mobile Beat 2010 conference in San Francisco, Mr Khan gave more detail.
"It's the power of a netbook in the palm of your hands," he told attendees.
"What users expect is the same experience they have on their netbooks or PCs in an uncompromised fashion."
While Mr Khan plugged Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S smartphone, he also mapped out the characteristics of a superphone. In consumer terms, he defined the device as one that revolves around the consumption of video with a high-end camera, multiple microphones for calling and video recording, advanced browsing, high-quality gaming with 3D graphics, the ability to integrate social networks and also true multi-tasking.
He also said superphones would have accelerometers and GPS systems built in to allow for better location-based services and augmented reality applications.
From a hardware point of view, Mr Khan said there were two main components and those were displays of around 4 inches and more and faster processors.
As well as calling this the year of the superphone, Mr Khan also called it the year of the gigahertz processor.
"Superphones rival today's PCs. The only thing they don't rival is display size."
These specifications are what is needed, he said, to cater for the way that users consume content on their phone.
Mr Khan noted that while there are hundreds and thousands of apps in the Android Market and App Store, data suggests 60% of users interact with just seven apps on a daily basis. There are no surprises here because they include Facebook, YouTube, Google Maps, Search, The Weather Channel, ESPN and Pandora.
Mr Khan said that the use of apps such as social networking updates are growing at 427% a year, underscoring the massive difference from when users simply made phone calls on their phones or text messaged.
So it seems the superphone is a really really smartphone with knobs on.
The $64,000 question is what comes after the superphone. Well, it's the "uber-phone", said Mr Khan. Of course.
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~37~RS~)
Comments
Until phone carriers can sort out signal levels and make speeds across their networks actually usable, all the above is nonsense and hype in my eyes that is aimed at nothing more than flogging shiny toys.
Oh, they'll also need to sort out contracts that offer "unlimited internet" that have a monthly limit.
The problem isn't with the handsets, it's the networks - deal with that and the handsets will follow.
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Move over.....move over.....move over....each year there will be something new and/or added....they are in the business of selling things and making you believe you need it. Want to know if you remembered to flush the toilet..we have an app for that......
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@1 your whole argument is just a pointless rant because at no point has anyone(that matters) said that a phone being a 'superphone' is dependant on(and nor should it be) the network from which you get your service.
If the phone is able to meet the requirements, that is offering 'the same experience they have on their netbooks or PCs in an uncompromised fashion', then it is a superphone, according to the definition. No ifs, no buts, it's that simple.
Do you personally think anything less of your home computer, laptop or netbook because you have a crap internet connection? Of course you don't. Stop being silly.
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What's this? BBC output about mobile phones without an overly complementary or derogatory stance on the iPhone? Shocking.
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"Mr Khan noted that while there are hundreds and thousands of apps in the Android Market and App Store, data suggests 60% of users interact with just seven apps on a daily basis. There are no surprises here because they include Facebook, YouTube, Google Maps, Search, The Weather Channel, ESPN and Pandora."
Probably the most telling statistic of all and why the number of apps in a particular store is largely meaningless.
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@3 Thank you for your well reasoned argument Khalid.
If you'd read my post *and* understood it, you will see that yes, a computer with a poor internet connection is useless if that is the only way to get data on or off it.
If you believe that a superphone has no dependancy on an internet connection then it is just a phone - yes? So what makes it super?
Phones and wi-fi equal about 3 hours use tops - you do use these things?
Think before you post or did you have to rush as your signal was poor?
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#6. jensencv8 wrote:
"Phones and wi-fi equal about 3 hours use tops...."
That reminds me of an old joke.
Man A see Man B (and yes, they are always men!) using a really fancy wristwatch (remember I said old ie PM - Pre Mobile). This wristwatch does everything right up to baking cakes. Man A says to Man B how much was that then? Man B responds if you have to ask you can't afford it! Man A name your price. Man B sells Man A the wristwatch there and then. Man A puts wristwatch on and tries it out - nothing happens not a glimmer. Thinking he has been robbed Man A rushes back to Man B and says wait a minute this does not work. Man B says, handing over a huge briefcase - 'you didn't pick up the battery'! I think this joke is early 1970's vintage, but battery technology has essentially not improved relative to the increase in power consumption of the gadgets we buy (or rather are sold.)
Also don't drop modern lithium batteries in the sink or loo as if they are punctured they may explode. The problem with all high power sources is that the energy density is often so his that if the are accidentally shorted and rapidly discharges they can generate prodigious amounts of heat.
I'll go back to the sundial I carry on my arm. Or perhaps we all should revet to the 'Eccles method' of carrying a piece of paper with the time written on it. see The Mysterious Punch-Up-The-Conker Series 7, Episode 19 of the Goon Show from 1957.
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The problem that is happening now is all these new handsets are coming out with so much media connectivity on them the networks can not cope with the bandwith required. With both Vodafone and O2 recently having to put low limits on data usage to try and push consumers away from using the full scope on hadsets. I have recently upgraded to a HTC Desire and girlfriend has just got a Samsung Galaxy S and both our data usages has increased by over 100% as its so easy to get information on web or from apps there is none of that question in your head and think i will look on computer when i get home I just do it now on phone. I have also got into cloud computing with Google Docs,Picasa,Flickr and corporate services so i can now see all my documents on my phone as well as instand uploading of pictures and videos taken while out and about. I hear 2011 is to be the year when cloud computing takes off so everybody will want access from their phones
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@6 I don't use an iPhone so my signal is just fine.
Again, your whole argument is utterly ridiculous. Yes, your netbook, phone or computer is dependant upon a fast network to perform well, but what would stop you(strictly-speaking) from taking that unlocked phone or your netbook or computer and plugging it into(or popping in a different sim card) a better connection? The hardware is still capable of being 'super', if your network sucks you simply go to a better network.
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@6: Typically, browsing via 3G uses more juice than browsing via WiFi so I'm not really sure what you're talking about there. As @3 said, they've defined a superphone as "the same experience they have on their netbooks or PCs in an uncompromised fashion". PCs and netbooks don't come with a 3G connection, they use WiFi or wired.
You have a really good point about how mobile broadband (3G / HSDPA) networks are getting clogger by the current generation of phones and that this is a limiting factor in the growth if this market, thats just not what this article is about. (try this article from dot.Rory for that debate: http://bit.ly/apyNbz)
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Create well paying jobs before you put the gadgets in the market, job hunters and unemployed desire good things but cannot afford them. Inconvenience brings inventions from that comes dream applications, to profit from all one needs good infrastructure, let us home my old cell phone still gets signal coast to coast.
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